Would love any insight or additions to our 13 day itinerary – Tokyo>Kyoto>Nara>Osaka>Hakone>Tokyo. Just rejiggered as I think Osaka would be a better place for weekend nightlife than Kyoto.
According to the JR calculator we don’t be needing to get a JR pass. We’re definitely city people and will see some museums and temples but mostly there to eat, drink, and soak up the culture. No need for Disney or anything (just mario world of course). If there any particularly wild bars/restaurants/scenes please send em my way!
Main concerns?
Is it worth staying in Nara or just a day trip and ship our luggage from Kyoto to Osaka? Am I missing any must see neighborhoods in Tokyo? Are there bike tours in Kyoto or Osaka that can get to a lot of temples etc?
// TOKYO
Wednesday (Shinjuku)
Arrive at Hotel in Shinjuku
Wander Around / Get Masks, Snacks
Kabukicho / Golden Gai / Piss Alley etc.
Thursday (Ginza)
Hanazonomanju Shinjuku Honten (pastries)
Train to: Imperial Palace
TeamLabs
Odaiba Beach
Ginza (dinner – Kyūbey or Kagari)
The Prince Park Tower Tokyo (cocktails)
Friday (Shinjuku)
Train to: Shimokitazawa (old nabe)
Robot Restaurant (seems like this is gone)
8bit Cafe
Rock Bar Mother
Kabukicho Part 2
Saturday (Shibuya)
Walk Meiji Jingu
Harajuku
Yoyogi Park
Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka Store (conveyor belt sushi)
Shibuya Crossing
Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka Store
Womb (or alternate night club) / Red Bar / Oath
// KYOTO
Sunday
Train to Kyoto (2 hours)
Sake Cube
Modern Times
Monday
Fushimi Inari Taisha (shrine)
Higashiyama (historical ward)
Nanzen-ji Temple
Pontocho (restaurant alley)
Tuesday
Bamboo Forrest (maybe, seems far)
Nijo Castle
Sento Imperial Palace
Gion (geisha district)
Nishiki Market
Giro Giro Hitoshina (restaurant)
Hello Dolly Bar
Talisker Bar
West Harlem (club)
// NARA
Wednesday
Kinkaku-ji (gold temple) (maybe, seems far)
Train To Nara Park (90 min)
Nakatanidou (pastries)
Tōdai-ji Temple
Nara Deer Park
// OSAKA
Thursday
Train To Osaka (60 min)
Americana-mura
Bar Nayuta (cocktail bar)
Kushikatsu Daruma (restaurant)
Friday
Universal Studios
Rudelicious
Saturday
Namba Yasaka Shrine
MoriMori Sushi
Dotonbori (nabe)
Club Bambi
// HANOKE
Sunday
Train to Hakone (4 hours)
Hakone Ryokan / gora hanaougi
// TOKYO
Monday
Train to Tokyo (2 hours)
Stay in Ginza – any last stuff to do?
Tuesday
Fly Out
3 comments
Don’t bother with the bamboo forest in Arashiyama in Kyoto – instead, when you do the Fushimi-Inari hike up to the summit, take the “back-route” down passing by all of the waterfalls and shrines. When you do this, you will pass through the most EPIC bamboo forest (even better than Arashiyama grove) and there will be next to no tourists whatsoever.
It’s not worth spending the night in Nara seeing as it’s so close to both Kyoto and Osaka. A day trip would be fine.
Robot restaurant is now Samurai restaurant from same creator.